07/06/2026
*Masutatsu Oyama (1923–1994) – The Godhand*
*Early Life: Choi Yeong-eui*
- *Born July 27, 1923* in Gimje, Korea, during Japanese occupation. Birth name: Choi Yeong-eui.
- *Age 9*: Sent to live with his sister in Manchuria. There he began studying Chinese Kempo under a farmer named Mr. Yi.
- *1938, age 15*: Moved to Japan to train as an aviator. Took the Japanese name Oyama, after the family that took him in. Enrolled in aviation school, but WWII ended his pilot ambitions.
*Martial Arts Foundation*
- *Judo*: Trained at the Kodokan and quickly earned 4th dan. Judo gave him throws and grappling to complement his striking.
- *Karate*: Entered Takushoku University and began training in Shotokan karate under Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of modern karate. He reached 2nd dan in 2 years, then 4th dan by age 20.
- *Gojo-ryu*: Also trained under So Nei Chu, a senior student of Goju-ryu founder Chojun Miyagi. This added hard-body conditioning and circular power to his style.
*The Mountain Years: Forging the Spirit*
After WWII, Oyama was devastated by Japan’s defeat and occupation. In 1946 he retreated to *Mt. Minobu* in Chiba Prefecture for solitary training — one of the most famous episodes in martial arts lore.
- *Goal*: Train 3 years to completely dedicate himself to karate.
- *Routine*: 12 hours a day. Ran up mountains, broke river stones with his hands, used trees as makiwara, meditated under freezing waterfalls, and read voraciously.
- *Reality*: His sponsor stopped sending supplies after 14 months, forcing him to descend. But the template for extreme mental/physical forging was set.
*Building the Legend: Public Demonstrations*
- *1947*: Won the All Japan Karate Tournament in Kyoto. Afterward, he felt empty — real combat was his test, not point sparring.
- *1950s*: Began the demos that made him “The Godhand.” He fought bulls bare-handed in slaughterhouses and on film. Reports say he fought 52 bulls, killing 3 instantly with one strike and breaking the horns off 48. He also challenged all comers in dojo challenges and US military bases.
- *Tameshiwari*: Popularized breaking. He could break 30 roof tiles, river stones, and bottles with shuto and seiken.
*Founding Kyokushin: The Ultimate Truth*
- *1953*: Opened his first dojo in Tokyo — a grass lot behind Rikkyo University. It was called “Oyama Dojo.” Training was brutal, full-contact, knockdown rules.
- *1957*: Officially founded the *International Karate Organization Kyokushinkaikan*. “Kyokushin” means “Ultimate Truth.” The kanji on his dogi became the symbol of the style.
- *Philosophy*: Reject sport karate’s point-fighting. Real karate had to work in real fights. Knockdown rules, no pads, no head punches — but kicks, knees, and full-power body shots were legal. This influenced modern MMA and kickboxing.
*The 100-Man Kumite*
Oyama created the ultimate test of spirit: *Hyakunin Kumite*. Fight 100 black belts back-to-back, ∼2 min rounds. You “fail” if you’re knocked down for more than 5 seconds.
- *Oyama himself did it 3 days in a row* to prove it was possible. He completed it 300 fights total.
- It became a requirement for 5th dan in Kyokushin. Only ∼30 people have officially completed it since.
*Global Expansion*
- *1960s–1980s*: Sent his top students — the “Kyokushin Samurai” — worldwide to dojo-challenge and spread the style. Shigeru Oyama, Tadashi Nakamura, Kenji Kurosaki, and others opened schools in the US, Brazil, Europe.
- *Kickboxing roots*: Kyokushin fighters entered Muay Thai and kickboxing rings in the 1960s and dominated, proving the style’s effectiveness. This directly led to Japanese kickboxing and K-1.
- *Books & Film*: Wrote _What is Karate?_, _This is Karate_, and _The Kyokushin Way_. The 1970s _Karate Bullfighter_ film trilogy based on his life made him a pop culture icon in Japan.
*Death and Legacy*
- *April 26, 1994*: Died of lung cancer in Tokyo, age 70. Non-smoker, likely from years of breaking and inhaling dust/concrete.
- *At his death*: IKO Kyokushinkaikan had 12+ million members in 120 countries, making it one of the largest karate organizations ever.
- *Split*: After his death, the organization fractured into several groups: IKO1, IKO2 Shinkyokushinkai, IKO3, etc. But all claim his lineage.
- *Legacy*: Called “The Godhand” for his power. Changed karate from a semi-contact art to a full-contact fighting system. His emphasis on _Osu no Seishin_ — the spirit of perseverance — still defines Kyokushin. UFC champions like Georges St-Pierre and Bas Rutten credit Kyokushin as their base.
*Famous Oyama Quotes:*
1. “The most important are the eyes. In a gunfight… keep your eyes open.”
2. “One becomes a beginner after 1000 days of training. A master after 10,000 days.”
3. “Karate is not a game. It is not a sport. It is not even a system of self-defense. Karate is half physical training and half spiritual.”
4. “Keep your head low, eyes high, mouth shut, and base your heart on filial piety.”
